Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine 1940

German submarine U-78 (1940)

Type VIIC submarine

Displacement
757 long tons (769 t)
Length
67.1 m (220.1 ft)
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-7815 February 1941 — 16 April 19451,521 days of the war
Type VIIC submarine Particulars
Name
U-78
Pennant / hull number
1940
Builder
Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Ordered
25 January 1939
Laid down
28 March 1940
Launched
7 December 1940
Commissioned
15 February 1941
Fate
Sunk on 16 April 1945 by Soviet artillery fire.
By accident (1945)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
757 long tons (769 t)
Displacement, submerged
857 long tons (871 t)
Length
67.1 m (220.1 ft) OA
Beam
6.2 m (20.3 ft)
Draught
4.74 m (15.6 ft)
Speed
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h, 20.4 mph)
Range
8,500 nmi (15,742 km)
Main gun
88 mm (3.5 in)

U-78 was a Type VIIC submarine built for the Kriegsmarine. She carried the pennant number 1940. Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack laid her keel on 28 March 1940. She entered service on 15 February 1941, having been launched on 7 December 1940.

She was one of 612 ships of her class. The class followed the Type UB III, Vetehinen class and was succeeded by the Type XXI (Late-war replacement).

The boat displaced 757 long tons surfaced and 857 long tons submerged. She measured 67.1 m (220 ft) long with a beam of 6.2 m (20 ft). Her designed speed was 17.7 knots.

Her main battery was one 88 mm (3.5 in) guns.

She was in commission for 1,521 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 16 April 1945 by accident. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × diesel engines
  • 2 × electric motors
Power
  • 2800 - 3200 PS (diesels)
  • 750 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 2 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (bow)
  • 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
  • 1 × 8.8 cm deck gun (220 rounds)
  • 1 x 2 cm C/30 AA gun

Sister ships

587 more in the class

Sources